Starfield gives players galaxies to explore alongside an epic main story. Exploring planets is optional, but doing so rewards players with XP and resources. Both Constellation and LIST will pay the player to survey planets throughout the universe. There also are side missions that involve 100% scanning a planet for its survey data.
This can be a long and tiresome process if players don't know what to look for. Every planet that gamers will explore has a checklist of items that need to be scanned. This includes spaceport planets where the larger cities and main missions take place through gas giant planets. This guide will teach fans the steps needed to 100% scan a planet in Starfield.
Traits of a Habitable Planet
Keep in mind that not every planet is habitable. Habitable planets carry certain traits, so look for these when initially scanning a planet from orbit.
- High Oxygen Levels
- Moderate Flora & Fauna
- Safe, Natural, or Biological Water
- Moderate Atmosphere
- Temperate Temperature
Flora, Fauna, and Resources
Players need to scan all the organic life and resources on a planet as part of their survey. Use the LB button to bring up the scanner then press A to scan. Items outlined in blue are not completely scanned. They will appear green when they are fully scanned. It will take around eight different scans of an item to complete 100%, unless the player has certain skills unlocked.
- Flora: All of a planet's plant life. Harvesting plants will automatically scan them.
- Fauna: All of a planet's wildlife. Some creatures will be hostile to the player, so be prepared for a fight. If players are struggling to find the last few animals on a planet, head to the coast. Some creatures will only live in water and may be impossible to find otherwise. Killing alien creatures automatically scans them.
- Resources: All of a planet's mineable minerals and elements. Look in caves for sources of copper and the like. Mining resources automatically scans them.
Biomes
Every planet has separate biomes. These are areas with differing biological makeups. Press on different spots on a planet while in orbit to view the biomes it has. For example, Gagarin has swamp and desert biomes. When scanning fauna or flora, a message saying "Biome Complete" may appear, even though the scans are not finished. This means players should travel to a different biome on the planet to find different creatures in varying habitats.
Planet Traits
When scanning a planet from orbit, there will be a list of hidden traits on the right side of the screen. Players need to search for these on the surface. Look for unknown points that are natural or show a lifeline while scanning a planet.
Following these waypoints will lead to unique planet features, like coral pools or meteor craters. Areas will be outlined by white borders where players need to scan a few interest points. This will reveal the planet's traits.
How to Survey Gas Giants
Gamers looking to quickly survey planets for credits can do so with gas giants. Planets like Jupiter are comprised of swirling gases. This means there is no physical place to land. All players have to do is scan for resources in orbit to 100% scan a gas giant.
Survey Data
Once players have 100% scanned a planet, they will receive its survey data. This valuable item can be sold to LIST or Vladimir for a decent amount of credits.
Starfield is out now on Xbox Series X|S and PC.